Parenthetical Meaning

This book explores the semantics and pragmatics of parenthetical constructions, dividing them into pure and impure categories. It examines parentheticals from three theoretical perspectives and establishes a dynamic-semantic model to explain their meaning. It impacts linguistic phenomena such as entailment, presupposition, binding, anaphora, evidentiality, modality, illocutionary force, and polarity.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 30 June 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate realm of semantics and pragmatics, focusing on a representative selection of parenthetical constructions. Todor Koev, a prominent scholar in the field, categorizes these constructions into two primary classes: pure and impure. Pure parentheticals primarily comment on some aspect of the descriptive content of the root sentence, while remaining relatively independent of it. On the other hand, impure parentheticals modify elements of the illocutionary force and have a significant impact on the felicity or truthfulness of the root sentence.

The book adopts a multi-faceted approach, examining parentheticals from three theoretical perspectives: illocutionary effects, scopal properties, and discourse status. Through this comprehensive lens, it establishes and elucidates the concept of parenthetical meaning within a formally precise and predictive dynamic-semantic model. This theoretical framework enables the exploration of various linguistic phenomena, including entailment and presupposition, binding and anaphora, evidentiality and modality, illocutionary force, and polarity.

By examining parentheticals from these diverse angles, the book offers insightful explanations and predictions about their usage and interpretation. It sheds light on the complex interplay between language, context, and meaning, providing a deeper understanding of the intricate mechanisms at work in communication. This work is a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and language enthusiasts alike, as it contributes to our knowledge of language and its applications in various domains.

Weight: 492g
Dimension: 251 x 180 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198869535